Rachel Marin watched the entire masquerade from her computer with a mixture of horror, anger, and perhaps the smallest twinge of amusement and pride. She debated putting an end to the silliness, then installing state-of-the-art motion sensors in Eric’s room that would let her know every time her son burped.
But she didn’t want her children to grow up afraid of her. The death of Rachel’s husband had locked Eric in an emotional prison, but rather than beat against the bars, he had retreated into a corner, sullenly living out his sentence with no possibility—or interest—in parole. She had tried to pull him out but instead had seen him recede further. Her once-buoyant son was drowning, and it tore her up. She’d wanted him to lash out, to flout the rules. Anything to prove he had some fight in him. So as Rachel watched her son slip out the window, leaving behind a bed full of fluffy animals like some sixth-rate illusionist, Rachel couldn’t muster the anger most mothers would have. For years she’d wanted Eric to act like a boy. To test her boundaries. To venture into the unknown, to take risks, just like she had. Well, Eric had finally called her bluff.
Like the first Rachel Marin book, this one was more non-stop action! One of the detectives Rachel works with called her ‘a magnet for violence,’ and they may be right.
Official synopsis:
When Rachel discovers an ominous email the teacher sent to her just before his death, she knows she must help bring his killer to justice. But soon a figure from her past reappears, threatening to expose Rachel’s darkest secrets if she doesn’t tread lightly. And when her son is recruited by a shadowy businessman who may be connected to the murder, Rachel knows this has just gotten very, very personal.
Someone out there is dead set on keeping this grisly cover-up good and buried, which means if Rachel’s not careful, it’s only a matter of time before her dream life becomes her worst nightmare.
What an exciting book! It opens with a horrific murder. While the reason the victim was killed is not clear, the details of the crime make it look like a warning to others. The only clue is a vague email to the heroine of this book series, Rachel Marin.
Rachel’s past has forced her to be strong both mentally and physically. When someone who knows some of what she’s been through shows up to tell her not to pursue justice in this case, she’s even more determined to figure out why. Having a character who played a much bigger role in the first book make a surprise appearance here let the reader know that Rachel’s past and present had gotten entangled, something she never wanted to happen.
The second installment in the Rachel Marin series was just as compelling to read as the first. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars because I couldn’t put it down until all the motives were uncovered and crimes were solved. It was satisfying to see that while Rachel’s thirst for justice sometimes required a bit of vigilante action, she was also willing to let some wrongs be forgotten in the interest of what is truly right.
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Becki Bayley is a wife, mother, and remote-learning supervisor to a middle schooler and an elementary school student. She enjoys snacking, reading, and overcoming zoom challenges. She also blogs at SweetlyBSquared.com.
GIVEAWAY:
One of my lucky readers will win a copy of A Stranger at the Door!
Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Monday, January 18th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.
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A Stranger at the Door, by Jason Pinter
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